Activist Angela Davis Featured in Heroes Exhibit

The National Museum of African American History and Culture will showcase the work of vegan activist Angela Y. Davis as part of an exhibit dedicated to social-justice heroes. Davis is known for her activism, especially within anti-racism, and has been instrumental in the Black Lives Matter movement. As a vegan, Davis has also made an impact on addressing the overlap between human- and animal-rights issues. The activist recently spoke at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where she addressed the connection between various forms of oppression. Davis mentioned Muhammad Ali refusing to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1960, drawing parallels to NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s recent refusal to stand for the national anthem—and then proceeded to connect both of these actions to what she called “a capitalist assault on our food sources.” “[S]entient beings … endure pain and torture as they are transformed into food for profit, food that generates disease in humans whose poverty compels them to rely on McDonald’s and KFC for nourishment,” Davis said in her speech. The exhibit will feature Davis amongst other prominent social-justice pioneers including Anita Hill, Barbara Jordan, and Shirley Chisholm. The museum opens on September 24 near the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.